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Immigration benefits agency now authorized to carry firearms and conduct raids [1]

['Ellsworth Toohey']

Date: 2025-09-04

Welcome to Trump's America, where every federal agency gets its own SWAT team and even the paper-pushers pack heat. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), America's formerly mild-mannered immigration paperwork processor, just joined Trump's ever-expanding collection of armed MAGA paramilitary soldiers conducting raids in the United States.

In a press release, USCIS said:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is now authorized to expand its law enforcement authorities and newly-minted USCIS 1811 classified officers (commonly known as special agents) will be empowered to investigate, arrest, and present for prosecution those who violate America's immigration laws under a final rule published today. In the final rule, the DHS authorities provided to USCIS include making arrests, carrying firearms, executing search and arrest warrants, and other powers standard for federal law enforcement. This rule allows USCIS to implement Homeland Security Kristi Noem's delegation of certain law enforcement authorities to the agency. This rule allows USCIS to thoroughly fulfill its national security, fraud detection, and public safety missions related to immigration adjudications.

USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow claims this shift — from benefits processors to armed officers with arrest powers and authority to raid immigration attorneys' offices — won't deter immigrants from seeking benefits.

This comes right after USCIS announced they'll be monitoring immigrants' social media for "anti-American" content.

The agency that can't process a green card without losing it three times now wants us to trust them with deadly force. What could possibly go wrong when you militarize the DMV of immigration?

Previously:

• U.S. Homeland Security staff were unable to access DHS computer network because the security certificates expired

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